Fight and Flight
by mayflyDecember
Summary: "So what's the deal with your wings, Iggy?" "Do you want the short version or the long version?" "The long version. We've got time." "Alright. It started out when my siblings and I landed on Pandora..." [Maximum Ride/Borderlands crossover. Iggy centric.]
1. Prologue

Iggy looked out over the table, drink in hand, a small smile upon his lips. Vaughn and Sasha were discussing Hyperion vs. Atlas tech; Fiona and Rhys were arguing, as per usual; Yvette was chatting away in Maya's ear, who didn't seem to be paying attention. Instead she was watching Iggy with dark eyes, a smile mirroring his own on her lips. She caught his eye and her smile widened slightly, tipping her drink towards him. The buzz of alcohol in his head made his smile widen in return as he returned the silent toast. They had done well, he thought, taking another drink of his ale. Better than most, anyway.

It was then that he noticed the group staring at him. "Sorry, what?" the blond asked, drawing a snort from Maya.

"I was asking what the deal with the wings was," Yvette said, leaning towards him. Self consciously, the metal against his back shifted tighter to his spine. "I've always wondered."

Iggy's eyes caught Maya's again before he sighed, tipping his chair back onto two legs. "Alright, do you want the short version, the long version, or the _really_ long version?"

"I suggest the short version, Sugar," came a voice from behind him. Moxxi, with another round of drinks. "Even I've gotta close sometime."

"Aww, Mox," Maya said with a grin. "You wouldn't even keep open for us?"

"No," she answered flatly. "But you've still got some time. Better start your story quick." With a wink, she returned to the bar, leaving everyone looking expectantly at Iggy.

Pursing his lips slightly, he sat his chair back down. "Allright, uh... I guess the best place to start is with The Flock."

"You sure about that?" Maya asked, raising an eyebrow. "That sure as shit ain't a conversation I wanna have."

"Well, good thing I'm telling the story then," Iggy answered with a smirk. "Besides, they're the ones who asked."

Rhys frowned. "We're gonna regret asking this, aren't we?"

"Most definitely." He grinned, downed the rest of his drink, and started his story.

* * *

I like this version a whole lot better yes.


	2. One

A sharp nudge in my side woke me up; grunting, I rolled over and promptly off of the ledge we had wedged ourselves on. Yeah, we; me and my younger siblings. There's Nudge, who's eleven; Gazzy, who's eight; and Angel at six. Fang and Max- our older siblings- were at the helm of the ship.

"Ow," I mumbled.

Gazzy snickered from above me. "That's what you get for sleeping on the edge," he said, slinging himself off the ledge and over me, heading towards Max and Fang. Nudge and Angel gave me a chance to stand before hopping off themselves. I rubbed the now sore spot on my shoulder as I followed them, wishing not for the first time that I could see.

* * *

 _"Wait, 'could see'?" Rhys asked, giving Iggy a questioning look. "You couldn't?"_

 _Iggy pursed his lips. He never really enjoyed being interrupted. "No, I couldn't. I used to be blind."_

 _Vaughn's face broke out in understanding. "So that's why you've got the-"_

 _"Yup," Iggy said with a nod. "Echoeyes are a hassle, but it was better than trying to survive on Pandora without seeing."_

 _"I guess that makes sense," the accountant said with a nod._

 _"Can he get on with his story now?" Fiona asked. "Maybe if Rhys didn't have to interrupt all the time-"_

 _"-Hey, I do not-"_

 _"Children," Maya interjected, putting a hand up between the two, "don't make me turn this car around." There was a quiet snicker before she motioned for Iggy to continue._

* * *

"So why'd you wake us up, anyway?" I asked, hovering behind Fang. "I was having a really nice dream. That delivery girl was in it- you know, the one with the soft hands and the sweet voice? She and I were-"

"Iggy." Max cut me off. "Not now? Or ever, really." Nudge giggled and I frowned. "We got you up because we're here."

"Where is 'here'?" Angel asked at my side. I felt her reach up to take Max's hand, a gesture that was common by now.

There was an almost unconscious shift between Max and Fang- probably one of their famous silent conversations- before the former spoke up. "Pandora."

"Pandora?" Gazzy said, almost a squeak. "You're joking, right?"

"Nope." Max walked briskly to the door of the ship, releasing Angel's hand along the way. "We're here already, anyway."

"What?" I asked angrily. "You didn't think to, I don't know, ask us?"

"Do you have a better plan, Iggy?" she asked in exasperation.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, actually. We go to a planet that _isn't_ filled with psychopaths and murderers."

Max scoffed. "Right, and get taken right back to Hyperion as soon as we get there."

 _("Hyperion?" Vaughn asked.  
_ _"Shut up and let me tell the story.")_

"Well..." I frowned. She had a point, much as I didn't want to admit it. "There's gotta be a better way, Max. We'll get killed out here."

"It's our only choice," Fang interjected; the first time he had spoken since we had left Athenas. "If we can figure something else out, we'll do that. But right now we're out of fuel cells. We can't go anywhere even if we knew where we wanted to go."

I hate it when they win by default.

Beside me, Nudge linked her arm around mine. "It'll be okay," she said. "We've survived worse."

"Yeah, well," I grumbled, "you haven't seen the crap on this planet."

"Neither have you," Gazzy pointed out helpfully. I shot a glare his way.

"Alright, Max said. "Get your stuff together. We're out in five."

* * *

"Wow." We stood in the door of the ship, staring out at the surface of Pandora. (Well. They stared, I waited.) "It's hot. Like, really hot. Doesn't Pandora have 90 hour days? I think I read that somewhere. Hey, why d'you think Hyperion had files on Pandora, anyway? You don't think they'll find us here, do-"

"Nudge," Max said testily. On cue, the younger girl shut her mouth. I frowned but didn't speak up. "Alright," Max continued, "goal number one: find shelter."

I waited until she had gotten far enough ahead to, well, nudge Nudge. "What's it look like?" I asked quietly. This was as much for her benefit as mine; she needed to talk and I needed to see. Metaphorically, anyway.

"Flat, mostly," she said, relinking her arm around mine. "There are some cliffs, and I think we could get up there if we tried. It's really sandy, too like Athenas. Remember the cliffs we used to live on? Kind of like that." I nodded along with her, only really half paying attention by now. Most of my focus was kept on the path ahead of me.

A sudden noise to my left startled me out of focus. The group had stopped, leading me to ask, "What the hell was that?"

I heard footsteps, closer with each second: four legged. Not human. "Run!" Max shouted, and we all obeyed without question. We were fast, faster than any grown man, but this thing was gaining on us.

"Max!" I called. "Up and away?"

There was only a second's hesitation before she replied. "Up and away! Now!"

Almost at the same time, the six of us unfurled our wings, pushing off into the air. My own wings pushed me high as I could go, far out of the thing's reach. "What now?" I call, turning to face Max.

"What was that thing?" Gazzy asked somewhere to my right. "It looked like a... like a lizard dog or something."

"There's a pack of them," Fang pointed out. "We should get out of here. Which way, O Great Leader?"

There was a hesitation as Max, I assumed, checked out over our surroundings. "That way," she said helpfully, "toward those rock formations. Maybe we can find some shelter there."


End file.
